John de frain



J. DE BRAIN. CORN AND 00B MILL.

No. 22,997. Patent-@dreh 15, 1859..

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Unire sra'rns reinar lorries,

JOHN DE FRAIN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO W. CALLAHAN AND W. GRANT, OF SAME PLAGE.

CORN AND con MILL.

Specification `of Letters Patent No. 22,997, dated February 15, 18159.

Y is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making `a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1, represents a vertical longitudinal section of a corn-and-cob mill with my improvement applied thereto; Fig. 2, a top view of the mouth of the grinding surfaces,

with the inner carrier of its feed apparatus; Fig. 6, a plan view of the upper end, and diaphragm of the case when the hopper and grinding disks are removed therefrom; Fig. 5, a plan view of the under side `of the rotating, grinding disk; Fig. 4, a top viewtof the cob-crusher,showing its adjustable hop per; and Fig. 3, a transverse section of the same, showing the hopper in two different positions on the shell or case like letters in Jthe different figures indicating the same objects.

The nature of my invention consists in making the hopper of the cobcrusher inV such mills serve the purpose of varying the feed of the cob into the crusher, by making it adjustable on the shell of the same, so as to enable the operator to adjust the one to the other, that either the inner corner edge of the shell, at its mouth, or the lower con ner of the inner `side of the hopper, shall abut the cob while the latter is being broken off by the teeth of the rotating Crusher or nut; in the construction and arrangement of an improved feed apparatus for the grinder, whereby I am enabled to dispense with the shoe and its frame heretofore used for the purpose, and so, make the mill more compact, and the feeding more regular and certain; in the combination of carriers or Scrapers attached to the under side of the rotating grinding disk, with an annulargroove having a series of outlets fitted with conducting tubes leading to the receiving boX-whereby the ground product is more rapidly removed from the periphery of the grinding disk; and in the combined arrangement of an opening through the diaphragm of the case beneath the middle part of the rotating, grinding disk, with the outlets or whereby air is caused to enter from beneath,

near the shaft or spindle, and become discharged through the outlets beneath the periphery of the rotating disk, and so, more eifectually to keep the parts cool, and also prevent dust from coming in contact with the lubricated spindle and /oil cup of the said rotating disk, and, incidentally, affording ready access for `oiling at this part, without stopping' the mill.

To4 enable others skilled in the art, to understand and make my improved cornand cob mill, I will proceed to` describe it more distinctly.

In the drawings, A, represents the body or outer case, secured upon a wooden box B, which receives the ground product; C, the hopper of the grinder; D, the stationary grinding disk; E, the rotating disk; F, its spindle; G and G the stationary supports in which the spindle (F) rotates; H, its step; I, the lever by means of which the step is raised and lowered; K and K, the feeding apparatus of the grinder; L-L, the discharge tubes; M, the cob Crusher, and N, the adjustable hopper thereof..

The' outer case is made of cast iron, and

has a grooved, perforated diaphragm (A), fixed about two inches below `its upper end, which `forms the upper support (G) of the spindle (F), and also connects with and supports the tubes (LvL) which lead therefrom down into the box (B) thus forming communications between the groove Z9, which is cast in the said diaphragm (A), and the box (B).

The hopper (C) is cast, in shape and size, to fit over the upper grinding disk (D), and holds, both together, by screw bolts g-g, firmly upon the upper end of the case (A).

The grinding disk is fixed upon the spindle (F) so `as to be rotated thereby beneath the disk (D), and so that its upper or grinding surface may be adjusted to a proper position for grinding in connection with the under or grinding surface of the upper disk (D), by means of the step (H) and lever (I) which are arranged to operate for the purpose in the usual well known manner-the step (H), and the spindle supports (G and G) each being formed with oil cups r, r r as heretofore. The grinding disk is made about half an inch (more or less) smaller in diameter than the annular groove (p), and has two scrapers s, s, shaped, and also fixed in inclined positions to its under side, as seen in Figs. 1 and 5, so as to carry the ground product, after it has fallen 'from the periphery of the disk into the annular groove (79), to the mouths of the outlet tubes (L-L) and cause the said product to fall into the same and 'thus into the box (B)-the direction of the motion of the said Scrapers (s, 8,) being as indicated by the arrow in Fig. -and the said Scrapers being also made of such a size as to leave about an eighth of an inch space between each and the surface of the groove (p), when the surface of the grinding disk (E) is in grinding relation with that of the disk (D), as seen in Fig. l. The inner boundary edge t, of the groove leaves a clear space around between it and the under side of the disk (E), and there is also a large opening (u) made through the diaphragm (A), near the spindle (F) which, together with the rotary motion of the disk (E) causes a current of air to enter the opening (u)-the sides of the case (A) havving openings y-y, for its admission-and pass out through the outlet tubes (L -L), and thus to keep the parts cool and the oil cup (7) and spindle (F) free from dust,

' and also, through the said hole (u) to admit of the introduction of oil to the said cup (7W) without stopping the motion of the mill.

The feeding apparatus consists of a carrier (K) which is fixed to the spindle (F) by means of a set screw, 2, in a well known manner, so as to be carried around by the said spindle at a short distance above the mouth of the grinding disks (D and E), across which it extends, as seen in Figs. l and 2, and also to support and carry around with it an inverted cup, K', which plays loosely on the spindle (F), it being supported around and over the upper end of the same so as to be adjustable in height thereon by means of the bolt and nut, 0, and the arch support,fw. Projecting radially from the outer sides of this cup (K) are two spikes, 0-0, for preventing the contents of the hopper (C) from wedging fast between the same and the sides of the cup (K). The bolt (o) is made cylindrical at the part within the stem, a, of the cup (K) and allows the latter to rotate freely around it, while the part of the bolt which enters the arch (we) is made square in section and thus prevents its turning round in the arch piece when the nut `is operated to adjust the height of the cup (K) from the bottom of the hopper (C)-as will hereafter be described.

The cob-Crusher of the mill is constructed and operated in the usual manner and consists of a toothed nut (li) rotating within a toothed shell or case (lil) g but the hopper N, for receiving the ear of corn is, in this mill, made adjustable upon the shell (M), by means of the notches, 3 3, on the flange N, of the hopper, the annular studs, 4, 4, on the shell, and the screw bolt 5, with the slot 6, so as to enable the operator to bring' the inner edge or lower corner, 7, of the hopper (N) either over and beyond the inner edge, 8, of the mouth of the shell (M), as seen in the blue lines of figures 3 and 4l, or, even with it, as shown by the red lines in Fig. 3, for the purpose of increasing or diminishing the distance of the edge which supports the ear of corn, as an abutment, against the action of the teeth of the nut (MU-and so to adjust the Crusher for either a 'faster or slower feed, as occasion may require.

Operation: The ears of corn'are singly and successively fed into the hopper (N) of the crusher, and their lower ends being caught by the teeth on the nut (M), rotating in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 3, the ear is broken olf thereby at the part which is in contact with either ofthe edges (7 or 8) as the latter may have been previously adjusted for either a fast or slow feed, as previously described, and eventually crushed, and discharged at the spout The crushed product is then shoveled into the hopper (C) of the grinder--the grinding disk (E) on the spindle (F) being rotated throughconnecting gear by the same horizontal driving shaft which rotates the Crusher nut (M), as heretofore. The screw nut on the bolt (c) of the feed apparatus of the grinder, being operated until the cup (K) is raised to such a height from the bottom of the hopper (C) as to admit between them the proper supply or feed to the grinding disks (D and E), and the spikes (0f-o) keeping the feed loose, it passes under the cup (K), is distributed and forced by the carrier (K) into` the mouth or between the disks (D and E) and becomes ground thereby in the usual manner, and discharged around from the periphery of the lower disk (E), from whence it falls into the annular groove (p) and is dragged toward and discharged by the scrapers (s, s), through the tubes (L -L) into the box (B) below; while, at the same time, air constantly passes up through the opening (a) and out, with the Ground product, through the said tubes (DL-L), thus keeping the parts cool, and preventing any v dust from coming into contact with the oil or spindle at this part, asbefore stated.

All the diierent parts of this mill, except the shafts, bolts, and box (A), are made of cast iron; and the grinding faces of the disks (D and E) are chilled hard, constil tuting together with the improvements described, the mostV compact and effective corn-and-cob mill in use.

Having thus fully described my invention and its mode of operation, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. Making .the hopper (N) of the Crusher (M) adjustable on the shell of the same, so as to present to the ear of corn, either the corner edge (7) of the hopper (N), or the inner edge (8) of the shell` (M), as occasion may require, substantially in the manner and for the purposes set forth and described.

2. I claim the carrier (K), the inverted cup (K) and its adjusting bolt and nut (c) and arch piece (fw), in combination with the hopper (C) and spindle (F) the same being constructed and arranged together substantially as shown, and operating together in the manner and for the purpose described.

3. I claim the combined arrangement of the Scrapers (s, s) on the bottom of the rotating disk (E), the annular groove (p) in the diaphragm (A), and the outlets and tubes (Ir-L) the same operating together substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth and described.

4. I also claim the combined arrangement consisting of the outlets (L, L,), and the opening (u) through the diaphragm (A), the saine operating together With the rotary disk (E), in the manner and for the purpose specified.

JOHN DE FRAIN. Witnesses:

BENJ. MORRISON, JAS. R. OLDDEN. 

